Street-sweeping machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. DRILL. STREET SWEEPING MAGHINE'.

Patented June 28, 1887.

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I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L L I R D 0 STREET SWEEPING MACHINE.

Patented June 28, 1887.

wi tmao ea o a ig/23M NMPUEHS, mw-umographar. Wuhin tm 04c UNITED STATESPATENT OFFIcE.

CHARLES DRILL, OF

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

STREET-SWEEPING M ACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent. No. 365,374, dated June28, 1887.

' Application filed November 11, 1885. Serial No. 182,408. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES DRILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in February 24, 1885, forimprovements in street-' sweeping machines.

The following is a specification of my present improvement, the objectof which is to simplify the construct-ion and reduce the numbers ofparts in street-sweeping machines to the lowest figure possible foreffective usefulness. I attain this by the mechanism illustratedin theaccompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer to similar partsthroughout the several views.

Figure 1 isplan viewo'f the machine, the main carrier-belt being omittedand a portion of the delivery-belt being broken. away to more clearlyshow the construction. Fig. 2 is aside elevation. Fig. 2" is a detailview of the belt-tightener. Fig. 3 is a section on a line, 3 3, Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail sectionof the brush, showing the manner of holding the brush-wires or theirequivalents in place.

The frame A may be made of iron, wood, or any suitable material, and itis supported mainly upon the wheels A, mounted upon the axle A, which isattached to the frame by suitable boxes, A. The front portion of theframe is also carried by a pair of smaller wheels, A upon the axle a, abed-plate and fifth-wheel, J J, and pole K being provided and attachedthereto in the usual manner for moving the structure by animal-power.

13 represents a brush 'or broom, which extends at each end outside ofthe path of the driving-wheel in front of it, and is of such length anddiameter as may be found best.

Fig. 5 shows the construction of the broom in detail. A spider, b, thearms of which are connected by a rim or cylinder, b which may beintegral therewith or not, as found most desirable, is centrally boredfor the shaft 1),

i and the periphery of the cylinder b is divided into as many parts asmay be desired for lags b, to extend around the circumference of thecylinder b. The lags b are preferably made long enough for the wholelength of the broom, but may be made in shorter pieces if moreconvenient. On the inner side they conform in shape to the circumferenceof the cylinder or rim If, to which they are bolted by the taper boltsI), which fit into perforations in the said flanges, which are taperedto correspond to the bolts upon their upper sides. Thelags are recessedtheir entire length. This recess is sufficiently larger in cross-sectionthan the male part b fitting thereinto, to admit the brush material b tobe put into it, as shown, after which the male parts b are placed inposition and forced home by the nuts upon the bolts 1).

Two end spiders, with one or more intermediate ones,'are bored andplaced upon a shaft, b, Figs. 1 and 2, to which they are attached byset-screws or otherwise. The spiders are duplicates of each other whenfitted. So, also, are the male and female parts of the lags, forconvenience in manufacturing, repairs, or interchanges. The shaft 1)extends out at each end beyond the lags sufficientlyv to form thebearings, which rotate in suitable boxes contained within straps O (l,which are attached, .by bolts G and gibs and keys 0, or in any otherwell-known manner, to the outer ends of the connecting-rods DD. Theshaft 1) is recessed at each end, to prevent the strap from slippingoff.

Upon one end of the broom-shaft b is attached a bevel-gear, d, whichmeshes with the gear (11 upon the shaft E, which latter is journaled inboxes 6 c at each of its ends, both of which boxes are secured to andcarried by the connecting-rodorswing-bar D. Agear-wheel, (1 at the otherend of the shaft E meshes with the gear-wheel F, carried upon the end ofthe main axle A and serves to communicate motion therefrom to the shaftE and thence to the broom. I

The connecting-rods or swing-bars D D extend rearwardly from the axle Aupon which they are removably attached in any suitable manner, and serveto connect the main axle 7 preferably of iron; but any other suitablematerial may be used. The main axle extends out beyond the outside ofthe frame A sufficiently to form a journalaud collar for the properattachment of the upper end of the connecting-rods or swing-bars D Dthereon, and also to carry the gear F and sprocket-wheel II, both ofwhich latter are rigidly set-screwed or keyed thereto. The gear F mesheswith the smaller bevel geared, as stated, and the sprocket-wheel H isconnected by means of the endless-chain belt h to a secondsprocket-wheel, I, mounted upon the extremity of the shaft 1 of the drumL. The wheels A turn on the main axle A independent of each otherforward or backward. There are collars (not shown) on the axle inside ofthe hubs, against which the inner ends of the hubs press and are held inposition thereby.

M represents one part of a common clutch, which is rigidly secured uponthe inner end of each hub of the wheels A in a proper manner. Theprojections on this part ofthe cl utch revolve with the wheels on theaxle, except when it is clutched into by the sliding part M, whichslides laterally upon the axle and revolves with it, beingheld movablyby a feather key on the axle, (not shown,) which key plays in a slotcorresponding to it in the sliding part Mof the clutch. The project-ionson this part are formed to fit into their counters upon the wheel-hubs.This sliding part of the clutch is grooved out, and has therein theshifting band in, in which it may be revolved. For the purpose ofshifting it out or into clutch, use is made of any suitable levers, m mand links in in, which are pivotally mounted upon the cross-barsjj ofthe frame and operated by power, the hand ef the operator applied to theextremity of the lever N, to which they are connected. The cross-barsform supports for the fulcrum-pins in the levers and also support andstrengthen the frame A.

0 represents an endless inclined carrier or apron, of heavy duck-clothor other suitable material, about equal in width to the length of thebrush B. It extends over the driving drum L, down to and over the rollerL, returning to drum L. The frame of this apron extending between thedrum L and roller L consists of two side pieces, 1, having substantialcrossbraccs a between them to hold it stiffly and prevent its twisting.

An additional-roller, L, is supported within the brackets P, dependingfrom the side pieces,

Z, where it is held against the lower side of the.

lower ends the drag or shoe Q, which is secured to them by nuts andbolts 12, and extends across to prevent the apron or roller L fromstriking the ground or the inner sides of the driving-wheels. The shaft1 of the roller L is journaled in these arms and projections of the shoeand extends entirely across the frame at this point from where the shoewidens to the full length of the broom. The shat'ti of the drum L issuitablyjournaled in boxes 1', attached to the sides of the elevatorpart of the frame A, as shown in Fig. 2, the objcetbcing to obtainsufficient elevation at this end of the apron O for discharging thesweepings raised thereby from the surface of the street to thiselevation over into the discharge-carrier, which is arranged at rightangles to its upper portion, as will be fully set forth.

For the purpose of raising and lowering the shoe Q, and with it thebroom and apron, to enable them to pass obstructions, or when not in useropes or chains T are secured at the upper portion of each end of theshoe Q, and, passing over suitable sheaves, t, in the frame A, extendforward to a vertical windlass, T, around the stem of which the ropes orchains T are wound or unwound, raising 0r lowering both ends of the shoeevenly. A pawl and ratchet, U, is provided to hold the parts in thedesired positions, and a hand-wheel, U, for communicating motionthereto. A raised auxiliary frame, R, is built upon the forward part ofthe main frame A, and carries the delivery apparatus.

A scraper, S, extends across the machine, parallel with the roller L,and is supported in the frame R on screw-threguled pins 1, passingthrough curved slots 3 in each of its upturned ends, upon which pins thescraper is adjusted to bring its edge in position to clean the sweepingsoff the apron 0, where it is then secured by suitable nuts on theextremities of the pins 1'. The delivery apparatus consists in an apron,upon which the material raised by the apron O is dumped, and by whichsaid material is carried off and emptied into carts or other receptaclesat the side of the machine. The apron V is narrower than theelevatorapron O, and is mounted upon rollers \V \V, the roller \V beingsuitably journaled at the side of the machine in the frame R. The roller\Vis located at the outerextremity of a hinged frame, X, a third roller,Y, being provided at V, and an auxiliary roller, V, is mounted directlybeneath the power-roller Y, and is upwardly spring-pressed by suitablesprings, 1), contained in slots or boxes formed in the extension y, andby means whereof the said apron is held tightly against .thepower-roller at its under side, so'that the desired motion will becommunicated thereto, its upper surface remaining entirely free andunobstructed. For the purpose of raising'and lowering the foldingsection of the delivery-apron, a Windlass, Z, is mounted in the upperportion of the frame R, a rope, 1;, extending therefrom to the extremityof the frame X, by means whereof the said hinged frame may be raised orlowered to any desired extent without any change in the positions orconnections of the parts. A shield or guard, z, is secured to the frontportion-of the frame R, directly opposite to the scraper S, for thepurpose of keeping the sweepings centrally upon the apron V.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the several parts of theapparatus are all under the control of a single operator standing abovethe small wheels A, the broom, shoe, and apron being raised or loweredby means of the Windlass T, and thrown out of or'into gear with thedriving-wheels through the lever N, and the height of the deliveryapronadjusted by the Windlass Z.

It will be.obvions that various modifications and changes may be made inthe mechanical details without in any way departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with driving and carrying wheels, the frame, thebroom, the ver: tically-moving connecting rods connected to the axles ofthe driving-wheels and to the axis of said broom; gear-wheels on themain axle and on the axle of the broom, of an intermediate driving-shaftsupported upon one of said connecting-rods and providedwith pinionsmeshing with the gear on the drivingaxle and with the axis of the broom,and the clutch mechanism, substantially as shown and described, wherebythe main axle can be caused to rotate to actuate the broom, as setforth.

2. In a street-sweeping machine, the combination, with the mainframe A,elevatorframe R, the elevator-apron, and means, substantially asdescribed, for actuating the same,

of the transverse discharge-carrier having a hinged outer portion and asingle apron extending over both the fixed and movable portions, and aWindlass located upon said elevator-frame and connected to the free endof the outer portion, whereby said outer portion of thedischarge-carrier and apron may be raised or lowered, as desired.

3. In a street-sweeping machine, the combination, with the mainelevator, of a trans verse dischargecarrier consisting of a fixedportion located in proximity to the upper end of the elevator-apron, andprovided with the roller NV, over which the apron passes, a foldingframe pivoted upon the axis of the dr1ving-roller Y, and a supplementalroller, 3 located beneath the driving-roller and arranged to'bespring-pressed thereagainst, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a street-sweeping machine, the cornbination, with theelevator-apron, its driving and supporting drum L, having gear-wheels Y,of the discharge-carrier having a hinged outer portion, carrier-rollers\V W at the outer ends of said carrier, and an apron, V, extendingthereover, and a central roller, Y,

suitably mounted and provided with a pinion,

w, meshing with the gear Y, and an auxiliary roller located below thedriving-roller Y and normally pressing the lower portion of the apronagainst said driving-roller, whereby motion is communicated thereto andthe entire upper surface thereof left unobstructed, substantially asshown and described.

5. In a street-sweeping machine, the combination, with driving andcarrying wheels and a suitable frame therefor, of the broom,vertically-moving connecting-rods extending between the driving-axle andthe axis of said broom, an elevator-apron for removing the sweepings,provided with a shoe extending under the broom, a Windlass, T, and ropesor chains extending therefrom and secured to the shoe for raising thesame, the elevator-apron, and broom, substantially as shown anddescribed.

CHARLES DRILL.

Witnesses:

A. M. EVEREST, H. M. THOMPSON.

